


The New Ladybug and Chat Noir

by uaigneach



Series: The Rainy Days ‘Verse [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angry Alya Césaire, Awkward Nino Lahiffe, Chat Noir Alya Césaire, Dead Adrien Agreste, Dead Marinette Dupain-Cheng, F/M, Female Chat Noir, Ladybug Nino Lahiffe, Male Ladybug, Miraculous Holder Alya Césaire, Miraculous Holder Nino Lahiffe, Plagg Being Plagg, Supportive Tikki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 04:55:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13000308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uaigneach/pseuds/uaigneach
Summary: With Adrien and Marinette dead and Hawkmoth still around, Plagg and Tikki need to find new champions.





	The New Ladybug and Chat Noir

Plagg flew aimlessly around Paris, clutching his ring and Tikki’s earrings tightly in his little paws He didn’t yet know where he was going, but he knew he couldn’t be near the Eiffel Tower anymore. Not with Adrien’s corpse laying at the base leaking the red liquid that had previously kept him alive. He’d done as he’d promised and flown the entire way down with the kitten.

He hadn’t been alone, even at the very end.

He was always there for his kittens until they had their final breath. It was th elaeast he could do after contributing to the circumstances that lead up to this. All this kittens succumbed to their darkness one way or another; a darkness that might have remained dormant if he hadn’t been there.

But yet, it had always been worth it to each kitten. The small taste of freedom of being Chat Noir was enough. If their Ladybug grew to care for them as well, well that was just an added bonus. Adrien’s Ladybug had cared for him just as much as he had cared for her. She had brought light to his life, and with her passing all chances for a future passed too. Chat Noir was no longer enough. Not without her.

At least this kitten hadn’t killed himself with the cataclysm. That always hurt Plagg the most, considering it was literally him killing his chosen.

 

Plagg didn’t know where he was going. He couldn’t go to the Agreste Mansion or even the Dupain-Cheng bakery. Both of Paris’ heroes were gone, even if he was the only one who knew that Chat Noir was gone too.

He eventually ended up sitting under an awning back at the school. It was far enough up that no one would see them, but it was still raining, so he hid beneath its stone shelter. From this angle, he could still see Adrien’s backpack sitting under the discarded red umbrella. He gently placed the ring and earrings on the cold stone of the building before collapsing and just watching the rain. He didn’t have to wait too long for the glowing earrings to slowly dull as Tikki left her hiding place. She flopped down beside him, her jewel like eyes glistening with tears.

They sat in silence, just absorbing the fact that yet another set of their beloved children were gone. Like all the times before, they couldn’t do anything to stop it.

“They were so young,” the ladybug kwami whispered. “I can’t remember the last time they died this young.” The tears began to slip from her crystalline eyes. Plagg’s eyes slipped shut as he winced. Tikki was right. But this was also the first time in nearly a millennia that they’d chosen people so young. Usually the reign of the heroes didn’t last all that long after putting on the mask, so they avoided taking children.

They’d hoped that Marinette and Adrien would break the pattern and they’d live longer than 5 years after receiving the powers.

 

They didn’t make it even that long.

 

“It wasn’t anyone’s fault except for the akuma and Hawkmoth. They were the ones who took out your chosen. Adrien knew what he was doing too.” Plagg sighed, flopping down beside Tikki. “We haven’t had to deal with a rogue miraculous holder in a while. Adrien and Marinette did well though.” He said almost casually.

Tikki but her lip, “Hawkmoth is still around. Paris needs a Ladybug and a Chat Noir.” She said sadly. She always was the one who got too attached to her chosen. Plagg knew to keep some distance by now. His chosens were always broken and trapped after all. Tikki’s were just nervous and shy with a secret backbone. Some had self-esteem issues, but no where near that of a Chat Noir. She didn’t want to pick another Ladybug so soon (usually she got a decade or two to mourn) but Hawkmoth was still terrorizing the city, and Paris needed someone to save it.

She understood that.

She just felt like she was betraying Marinette by choosing another champion. But they had a duty, so she had to do it. “We’ll need to pick people soon, maybe even before th funerals. Who should we pick?” Plagg was silent as he stared at the ring beside him.

Like Tikki, he was reluctant to pick another Chat Noir so soon, but he knew they had to. He would grieve later. Now was the time to make sure Paris was safe. They had a duty to perform.

“We don’t have the luxury of being picky anymore.” Plagg said finally, the sound of the rain almost drowning out his response. “Do you remember the reporter friend of your chosen? She certainly has the fire to be Ladybug – and she’s seen enough to know how your powers work.” Tikki looked up at the cat kwami. She could tell that he too was nearly drowning in grief, but at least he was trying. She thought about it for a while, but inevitably realized that Alya was actually a good match. Although, perhaps she wasn’t all that suited to be Ladybug.

“No,” she disagreed softly, “I think she would be better suited to be Chat Noir. She’s too passionate. I’m better suited to bringing out confidence or unrealized potential in people. You’re better suited to taming the beast and molding the flame.” She pointed out, trying to smile but falling a little short. “She’s just too angry for me to help, especially after he best friend and hero was killed right before her eyes.” She sighed, “what if I chose Nino Lahiffe? Her boyfriend is the closest I can think of that would compliment Alya. They’d dating so we wouldn’t have to deal with the awkward ‘but I love her’ phase and we already know that they can work together.”

Plagg nodded, “yeah, Alya’s anger towards Marinette’s murder would be channeled well into my destructive powers. And you’re right. Nino would be able to help keep her in line – much like all the Ladybug’s before. It’ll be a little unorthodox to have a male Ladybug and a female Chat Noir, but maybe it’ll help the city differentiate. I don’t want them forgetting our last chosens. Or making the mistake of thinking these ones are one and the same.

And that was that.

 

* * *

 

They ended up going together to Alya Césaire’s room about 3 days before the funeral was scheduled. Lucking for them, Nino was also over at her house, so they didn’t have to split up or deal with that. Identity bull again. Seriously so many headaches and wasted time.

They flew through the window and hovered to the side, just watching the future heroes talk. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it coming. But looking back at it now, Marinette and Adrien were really obvious.” Alya sighed, looking up at the ceiling and spinning Nino’s rolly chair around.

“I mean yeah,” Nino said from the floor. He was on his back with his arms spread, staring at nothing. He didn’t even have his headphones on. “I just can’t believe that they’re gone. I mean… Adrien jumped. I knew they loved each other, but I never though….” He trailed off That was of course when Plagg thought it would be a good idea to speak up with something cryptic and shocking.

“That’s always how it goes. Chat Noir will always love Ladybug to the point where they are their entire world. Adrien was one of the more sensitive Chats. It was no surprise that he couldn’t handle Marinette’s passing.” He said, creepily floating out from the shadows. Both Alya and Nino tense up before jumping together and away from the cat kwami.

“W-what is that?1” Nino shrieked, pointing in a rather exaggerated manner.

Tikki smiled softly at his reaction, being reminded greatly of Marinette’s first reaction. She flew forward to join Plagg in floating right in front of the two. Alya’s eyes narrowed, staring critically at the kwamis.

“Wait… are you the source of Chat Noir and Ladybug’s powers?” she asked slowly, “you said you knew Adrien.” She accused, anger beginning to tinge her words. “Aren’t you sad at all that they died? How can you just say things like that!” Tikki glanced out of the corner of her eyes at Plagg. She saw an odd gleam in her partner’s eyes and she knew they’d made the best choice in ne champions that they could. She could tell the reporter impressed Plagg. She turned to face Alya.

“Yes we are the source of the power.” She said softly, looking at the duo with her large eyes. Then Plagg took that opportunity to answer her accusations.

“Of course we’re sad, but we’ve been doing this for a long time. People die, kitten. The sooner you accept that the easier it becomes to deal with.” He said stoicly, refusing to show more emotion than necessary. Alya flinched at his blunt tone, taking a step back. Tikki decided to continue, maybe to try and make a better impression than they were.

“And since Adrien and Marinette are no longer with us we need your help.” She admitted. “Hawkmoth is still out there and Paris needs a Ladybug and Chat Noir.” She paused for a moment, letting all the information sink in before she continued. “You know what being a superhero consist of and you both have the qualities that we usually look for. So with that being said,” Tikki began, looking to Plagg to officially make the offer.

“Alya Césaire, will you be the next Chat Noir?” he asked, “and Nino Lahiffe, will you accept the responsibility of being Ladybug?” At Plagg’s abrupt announcement Nino and Alya’s eyes practically bugged out of their heads. All signs of anger forgotten. They exchanged nervous glances.

“Why did that sound like a marriage proposal?” Nino whispered, staring wide eyed. Probably a pitiful attempt at breaking the tension, but it fell flat. Alya’s brain seemed to be working faster that her boyfriend’s because she had a contemplative look on her face. She turned to Nino.

“What should we do?” she asked him. She might be the headstrong one in their relationship, but even now she deferred to the level headed one. A good thing considering it would be Nino, who would have to be the stronger strategized. He shook his head, trying to think while still being unable to shake the shock.

“Adrien and Marinette are gone, Alya. Their murderer is still out there, and _we’re_ being chosen. What else can we do but accept?” he asked rhetorically, “It’s what they would have wanted. We can protect their legacy and avenge their deaths.” He said decisively. Alya’s eyes hardened, but she nodded in agreement nonetheless.

“We’re in. What do we need to do?”

Tikki smiled as she flew over to Nino, examining his ear and fluttering happily when she discovered that he had 2 piercings in his left ear. She pulled out his earrings, ignoring his squawk of protest, and replaced them with the miraculous. The new cartilage and lobe jewellery suited the boy. Plagg took that as his cue to try and lace his ring on Alya’s hand but she ran away from him, only getting so far before she was cornered. “Woah, woah, woah, was Adrien wearing that wen he uh…” she hesitated, glancing worriedly knowing that a. Nino had been closer to Adrien than she had, and b. that Marinette had been killed when wearing the jewellery that now adorned Nino’s own ears.

Nino touched the miraculous stones gingerly on his ears as he frowned softly. “Alya, just put the ring on. Countless amounts of blood have been spilt because of them” he said rather poetically as he stared somberly at his girlfriend. She pouted, but did follow his direction and Tikki and Plagg shared a look at their chosen’s interactions. Already things were falling into place. Then Nino turned to the two kwamis, “Okay what now?”

Tikki smiled, her eyes wide with the faintest hint of sparkled excitement. “Now you say ‘spots on’ and Alya says ‘claws out’ and you transform!” she said brightly. Alya stared skeptically but they both moved to stand in the middle of their room nonetheless.

“Tikki, spots on!”

“Plagg, claws out!”

Bright pink and green light flowed around the room fading to reveal Nino standing in a skin tight spandex ladybug suit with a yo-yo on his hip and the spotted mask adorning his nose and accentuating his eyes, and Alya in the Chat noir catsuit with cat ears and the baton. They stared at each other in shock for a moment before Alya whispered, “holy crap, this isn’t a dream, right.”

Plagg rolled his eyes and turned to Tikki. “Why is that the kitten I’m stuck with is always an idiot?” he complained, ignoring Alya’s indignant ‘hey!’ in the background. He stick his tongue at of her playfully, but then he became serious once more before speaking again. “But there are somethings you need to know.” He began to explain.

“You can’t share your identity with anyone besides each other. Especially not now. People might hate you or try to stop you because of Marinette and Adrien, but that will only be in the uniform and other friends can’t know because Hawkmoth might attack you in civilian form. I’m not prepared to lose more kittens anytime soon.” He growled, shocking the duo.

“But what about Marinette and Adrien’s parents? Don’t they deserve to know?” Alya demanded, true to her reporter nature. “Don’t the citizens deserve to know who’s protecting them?” of course she held that opinion; she’d been trying to figure out Ladybug’s identity for years. Citing the fact that Paris _deserved_ to know which was of course foolish because Chat Noir and Ladybug didn’t owe Paris anything.

They saved lives every day, Paris had no right to be so ungrateful.

“Oh my _god,”_ Plagg groaned, “why are my chosens _idiots_ ” he whined. Alya glared and Tikki looked at him reproachfully. “What? I literally just said why it would be a horrible idea. It’s not my fault she wasn’t paying attention!” Nino nodded in agreement.

Alya pouted, but caved and agreed to the secrecy along with her boyfriend. The kwamis were the experts here. Who was she to over rule her Ladybug? They de-transformed and sat down again, just sort of accepting their new reality.

“Their funeral is in 3 days.” Nino said to break the silence. No one really knew what to say or do after that announcement. It just brought the mood down again as they were all reminded of the reason that the two kwamis were even here in the first place. If Marinette and Adrien hadn’t died…

“Would you like to come to the funeral too? You could hide in our pockets or Alya’s purse so that no one see you. I know how much they must have meant to you too. They might not be the first Ladybug and Chat Noir duo that you’ve lost, but they were special to you. I can tell.” Nino said intelligently. Usually he hid behind his hipster geek persona, but just like how Marinette blossomed, so did he.

Adrien’s death had reminded him about just how much bad there was in the world. And as Ladybug, he could do his part to try and rectify it. Or at least make sure that as little innocents die in the war against Hawkmoth as possible.

Tears pooled in Tikki’s eyes. “Yeah,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “We’d like that a lot.”


End file.
